Women recognize that exercise has a multidimensional effect that allows them to manage mood, manage stress, seek well being, create balance, and maintain their progress toward their healthy living goals. While women may not be able to exercise every day due to the business of everyday life, it remains a top-of-mind goal for most women, and they constantly seek ways to improve or more deeply integrate the practice into their lives.

In the POPSUGAR Insights 2014 Healthy Living Report, we explored the everyday exercise topics that women are most interested in and were surprised by the depth and breadth of their responses. Women are very connected to the topic. They view everyday exercise as “uniquely and profoundly impacting the quality of their lives” and feel there is “nothing else that matches its impact.” The women we spoke with felt that the concept of everyday exercise should be “lifestyled” just like brushing your teeth or your hair. It should be a widely accepted ritual.

The topics they are interested in run the gamut from educational (weightlifting for women) to inspirational (exercise ideas for home) to supporting the practice (music and playlist recommendations). Keeping it fresh, both in regards to the daily practice (creating variety and avoiding injuries from repetition) and the musical accompaniment (how to discover new workout music), was a topic women discussed often.

Women draw inspiration from their peers and other women who look fit and stick to their everyday exercise programs, therefore content that allows women to set and reach personal goals was seen as extremely important. The notion of community, both in terms of emotional support and as a way to compare benchmarks, was also seen as important. There is a profound power in the social community and brands that educate, inspire, and connect are well respected. Examples that women cited frequently included Nike, Lululemon, Patagonia, Apple, Weight Watchers, and Gatorade.